Updated March 25, 2026

Summary

• Construction will begin soon on major upgrades to the Highway 1 Columbia rest area
• This work includes vehicle capacity upgrades, improvements to washroom facilities and lighting, and approximately two kilometres of highway resurfacing
• Rest areas are essential to B.C.’s highway system, helping reduce the risk of accidents related to fatigue and the need to stop on highway shoulders 

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Work is set to begin on upgrades to two key rest areas along the Trans-Canada Highway, improving safety, accessibility and amenities for truck drivers and all motorists.

“Of the over 200 highway rest areas my ministry is responsible for, almost 70% can accommodate commercial vehicles,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Transportation and Transit. “Increasing this number – improving the accessibility and capacity of our rest areas – is an important way we can support the commercial trucking industry that people and businesses across the province depend on.”

In February 2026, Okanagan Aggregates Ltd. was awarded a contract for more than $11 million to complete enhancements to the Highway 1 Columbia rest area west of Revelstoke. Work will include:

• expansion of the existing parking area, including dedicated commercial-vehicle parking
• installation of full-flush washroom facilities
• improvements to lighting
• construction of intersection and access improvements, including approximately two kilometres of resurfacing on Highway 1

The contractor began work on site on March 16, 2026. Following clearing work to expand the site’s footprint, the rest area will close to all vehicles on April 1, 2026, and construction will begin. Work is scheduled to be completed in late 2026.

Upgrades support safety for B.C.’s trucking industry

Following a planning study completed in 2022 by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, the Columbia rest area was identified as a priority location for substantial improvements specifically to support B.C.’s trucking industry. This study was undertaken in partnership with the BC Trucking Association.

“For commercial drivers, safe and accessible rest areas are essential infrastructure, not a luxury,” said Binoy Mascarenhas, director of policy for the BC Trucking Association. “When drivers have reliable places to pull over, perform safety checks, take needed breaks and meet regulatory rest requirements, it supports both road safety and the efficient movement of goods across B.C. These upgrades are a welcome investment in the people who keep our economy moving.”

Construction to upgrade the Kamloops brake check and rest area on Highway 1 westbound, another priority identified in the 2022 planning study, is expected to begin this spring. Work will include:

• increasing capacity at the brake check
• upgrades to washroom facilities, including full-flush toilets and lighting 
• improvements to traffic flow

Rest areas are an essential part of B.C.’s highway system, helping reduce the risk of accidents related to fatigue or the need for people to stop on highway shoulders.

Travellers are reminded to obey signs and check traffic updates, which are available here: https://www.drivebc.ca/

Quick Facts:

• The Province is supporting improvements at rest areas through its $100-million Safety Rest Area Improvement Program.
• Of that, $55 million will be spent over the next three years to support the trucking industry and the travelling public.
• Since 2017, the Ministry of Transportation and Transit has invested approximately $32 million on more than 100 projects, including construction of new rest areas and enhancements to existing facilities, accessibility, lighting, signs and other improvements.

Learn More:

• May 18, 2023, news release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023MOTI0067-000775
• Information about provincial rest areas:
  https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/provincial-rest-areas?keyword=rest&keyword=areas